The present invention relates generally to those devices that are intended for receiving and protecting a baby, infant, or small child. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device intended for carrying and protecting a baby, infant, or small child during transit in an aircraft or other vehicle.
When infant children are carried as passengers on an aircraft, they are often carried in their parent's lap, or are placed in an individual aircraft seat, or are placed in a carrier device which is strapped onto an aircraft seat, or held to the floor by an adult. These methods provide virtually no protection in the event of an aircraft crash or other mishap, such as clear air turbulence.
When a baby or small child is carried on an aircraft in this manner, the child is placed at great risk of serious personal injury in the event of several types of accidents. Many of these injuries could be avoided by providing a greater level of protection. A parent or other adult is not able to adequately restrain a baby or small child when high accelerations are experienced. Such high accelerations are experienced during a crash, or during other mishaps.
It is likewise hazardous to transport a baby, infant, or small child on an aircraft seat, either with or without a protective carrier. Adequate protection for such a baby, infant, or small child is not afforded by use of an aircraft seat, since aircraft seats are designed for the physiognomy of adults. Further, the safety of a conventional aircraft seat is limited due to its orientation in a forward facing direction. The use of an aircraft seat for a baby, infant, or small child also has the disadvantage of occupancy of an additional seat. An inadequate level of protection is provided when a protective carrier is placed onto a regular aircraft seat, since the carrier must be fastened to the seat by means of the usual aircraft seat belt, which is not designed for this purpose.
Various devices ar known to the art for the transportation of infants and small children either in automobiles, or borne one the body of an adult. A device that is typical of those for protection of infants in automobiles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,622 issued on Jul. 5, 1977 to Robert J. Boudreau. Another device of this general type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,489 issued on Apr. 19, 1988 to Robert D. Wise et al. However, both the Boudreau car seat and the Wise car seat are not disclosed for use in an aircraft.
A child carrier that is worn on the body of an adult is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,131 issued on Feb. 13, 1979 to Sandra J. Hathaway. Another device, also intended for carrying a baby on the body of an adult, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,687 issued on Apr. 17, 1979 to Rosemary A. Nunemacher. However, both the Hathaway child carrier and the Nunemacher baby pouch are intended to be worn on the body of a person, in contrast to the manner of support of the present invention.
A related device, utilizing a backpack-like design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,591 issued on Jun. 8, 1982 to Dorothy S. Case. This device, however, as well as devices of the type exemplified by the aforementioned Hathaway and Nunemacher patents, do not provide protection against injury for the baby, infant, or small child who occupies the device.
A box-like child carrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,104 issued on May 8, 1990 to Doris Rice et al. A device of this type, however, is likewise not suited for use in the hazardous environment of an aircraft.
Other devices ar also known to the art for the protection of passengers or crewmembers during aircraft travel. Typical of these is a protection system for a crewmember of an aircraft, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,322 issued on May 30, 1989 to Stephen G. Wurst. According to this invention, the crewmember is seated in a device that provides support for the upper torso, restraining the crewmember while in a leaning or crouched position. However, devices of this type are not intended for the protection of a baby or small child.
None of these devices establishes a protective environment suited to the needs of transportation and protection of a baby, infant or small child within the environment of an aircraft. All of these devices are distinguished from the present invention in that they do not provide protection from the hazards of aircraft travel, including rapid deceleration, sudden motions, and airborne objects or fragments of objects within the vehicle interior.